# Canonical recap data for American Declaration of Independence (1776)
# Source: https://recap.at/1776/american-declaration-independence
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: american-declaration-independence
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1776/american-declaration-independence"
title: American Declaration of Independence
aliases:
- Declaration of Independence
- American Declaration
- Declaration of the Thirteen United States
- July 4, 1776
subtitle: Thirteen colonies formally told Britain to get lost.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1776-07-04
datePrecision: day
year: 1776
decade: 1770
country:
name: United States
slug: united-states
summaryShort: On July 4, 1776, thirteen American colonies formally declared independence from British rule, establishing the United States as a sovereign nation and reshaping the geopolitical order.
summaryLong: |-
  The Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, announced the thirteen American colonies' break from British rule. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, a Virginia plantation owner and political theorist, the document articulated grievances against King George III and established philosophical principles-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness-that would define American political discourse for centuries. The declaration was not a surprise to London; tensions had been escalating since 1765 with the Stamp Act, and armed conflict had begun in April 1775 at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.

  The timing was strategic. The Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia's State House (now Independence Hall), recognized that a formal declaration would strengthen morale among the colonists, justify the ongoing Revolutionary War to European powers, and complicate British diplomatic efforts. Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, John Adams of Massachusetts, and Jefferson comprised the drafting committee, though Jefferson's prose dominated the final version. The document went through edits-Congress removed passages criticizing the slave trade and softened language condemning the British people themselves-before 56 delegates signed it, though most signatures came weeks or months later.

  The declaration's immediate impact was mixed. Copies were printed and distributed, read aloud in town squares, and published in newspapers like the Pennsylvania Evening Post. British officials dismissed it as rebellion. Most European powers watched cautiously; France wouldn't formally recognize American independence until 1778, after the American victory at Saratoga in October 1777 convinced Louis XVI that the colonists had a realistic chance of winning. The declaration itself did not end the war-fighting continued until 1783-but it transformed a colonial uprising into a revolution with ideological weight.

  Jefferson's language proved durable. The assertion that governments derive "just powers from the consent of the governed" and that people retain the right to "alter or abolish" oppressive government became touchstones for democratic movements globally. The document's flaws-its silence on slavery, its gendered language, its contradictions with the founders' own practices-have prompted centuries of debate about whether the declaration's promises matched its signers' actions. Yet its core claim about human equality became, over time, a tool for expanding rights beyond the men who wrote it.

  The Declaration of Independence remains America's founding text. July 4 became a national holiday in 1941, formally recognized by Congress. The original document, now housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., remains one of the most publicly visited artifacts in the United States, a status reflecting its symbolic weight in American identity and global democratic tradition.
lede: On July 4, 1776, representatives from thirteen American colonies voted to break away from British rule, producing a document that announced their independence and explained why. Written mainly by Thomas Jefferson, it asserted that people have natural rights and governments need the consent of the governed. The declaration didn't end the war immediately-that took until 1783-but it transformed a colonial rebellion into a revolution backed by political philosophy, and its language about human equality became influential far beyond America.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg/1280px-United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg"
heroImageCredit: Wikipedia · "United States Declaration of Independence"
importance: 50
sourceConfidence: 50
keyFacts:
- label: Primary author
  value: Thomas Jefferson
- label: Adoption date
  value: July 4, 1776
- label: Location
  value: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (State House/Independence Hall)
- label: Number of signers
  value: 56 delegates
- label: Number of colonies represented
  value: "13"
- label: Drafting committee size
  value: 3 members (Jefferson, Franklin, Adams)
- label: Year document moved to National Archives
  value: "1952"
- label: Armed conflict began
  value: April 1775 (Lexington and Concord)
timeline:
- date: 1765-10-19
  title: Stamp Act Congress
  description: Delegates from nine colonies meet in New York to coordinate resistance to the Stamp Act, asserting that Parliament cannot tax colonies without their representation.
- date: 1775-04-19
  title: Battles of Lexington and Concord
  description: Armed conflict between British troops and Massachusetts militia marks the start of the Revolutionary War.
- date: 1776-06-07
  title: Virginia Resolution introduced
  description: Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduces a resolution to the Continental Congress proposing independence from Britain.
- date: 1776-06-11
  title: Drafting committee appointed
  description: Continental Congress appoints Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston to draft a declaration of independence.
- date: 1776-07-02
  title: Congress votes for independence
  description: Continental Congress votes to approve independence; New York abstains, other twelve colonies vote yes.
- date: 1776-07-04
  title: Declaration adopted
  description: Continental Congress formally adopts the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia after edits to Jefferson's draft.
- date: 1776-07-05
  title: First public reading
  description: Declaration is read aloud publicly in Philadelphia and published in newspapers; copies distributed to colonies.
- date: 1777-10-17
  title: American victory at Saratoga
  description: American forces defeat British General John Burgoyne, convincing France that colonial independence is achievable.
- date: 1778-02-06
  title: Franco-American alliance
  description: France formally recognizes American independence and signs a treaty of alliance, entering the war as an American ally.
- date: 1783-09-03
  title: Treaty of Paris signed
  description: Britain formally recognizes American independence; Revolutionary War effectively ends.
sources: []
related: []
relationships:
- targetSlug: september-11-attacks
  type: evolved_into
  confidence: 65
  evidence: The Declaration established the concept of a national political community bound by shared principles; 225 years later, 9/11 tested whether that community could survive an attack on its core institutions and values.
  source: ai
- targetSlug: american-civil-war-begins
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "American Declaration of Independence" references "American Civil War" (3 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: gulf-war
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "American Declaration of Independence" references "Gulf War" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
- targetSlug: franco-prussian-war
  type: caused
  confidence: 75
  evidence: Timeline of "American Declaration of Independence" references "Franco-Prussian War" (2 shared tokens incl. title anchor).
  source: ai
gallery:
- url: "https://live.staticflickr.com/3578/3684396632_34a663e190_b.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg/800px-United_States_Declaration_of_Independence.jpg"
  caption: United States Declaration of Independence
  credit: "original: w:Second Continental Congress; reproduction: William Stone"
  width: 3923
  height: 4656
  alt: The Declaration of Independence document dated July 4, 1776, displays the full text of the founding document in formal script followed by the signatures of the fifty-six delegates to the Continental Congress who approved American independence from British rule.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Declaration_of_Independence_%281819%29%2C_by_John_Trumbull.jpg/1280px-Declaration_of_Independence_%281819%29%2C_by_John_Trumbull.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Declaration_of_Independence_%281819%29%2C_by_John_Trumbull.jpg/800px-Declaration_of_Independence_%281819%29%2C_by_John_Trumbull.jpg"
  caption: Declaration of Independence (1819), by John Trumbull
  credit: John Trumbull
  width: 3000
  height: 1970
  alt: A formal gathering of eighteenth-century delegates in an ornate hall with classical architectural details, shown presenting and deliberating over documents, with a large ceremonial eagle and flags displayed on the wall behind them.
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/17760726_Declaration_of_Independence_-_The_Virginia_Gazette_%28Williamsburg%29.jpg/1280px-17760726_Declaration_of_Independence_-_The_Virginia_Gazette_%28Williamsburg%29.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/17760726_Declaration_of_Independence_-_The_Virginia_Gazette_%28Williamsburg%29.jpg/800px-17760726_Declaration_of_Independence_-_The_Virginia_Gazette_%28Williamsburg%29.jpg"
  caption: 17760726 Declaration of Independence - The Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg)
  credit: Writers of the Declaration of Independence
  width: 2500
  height: 2917
  alt: Historical newspaper page from The Virginia Gazette dated July 26, 1776, displaying the Declaration of Independence in its earliest printed form, with the document's text arranged in multiple columns beneath the publication's masthead and motto "Always for Liberty, and the Public Good."
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Printed_copy_of_the_Declaration_of_Independence_July_4%2C_1776_issued_to_Captains_of_ships_in_the_newly_formed_Navy_of_America.jpg/1280px-Printed_copy_of_the_Declaration_of_Independence_July_4%2C_1776_issued_to_Captains_of_ships_in_the_newly_formed_Navy_of_America.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ca/Printed_copy_of_the_Declaration_of_Independence_July_4%2C_1776_issued_to_Captains_of_ships_in_the_newly_formed_Navy_of_America.jpg/800px-Printed_copy_of_the_Declaration_of_Independence_July_4%2C_1776_issued_to_Captains_of_ships_in_the_newly_formed_Navy_of_America.jpg"
  caption: Printed copy of the Declaration of Independence July 4, 1776 issued to Captains of ships in the newly formed Navy of America
  credit: Tek monde
  width: 3000
  height: 4000
  alt: A printed broadside of the Declaration of Independence dated July 4, 1776, showing the formal declaration by the Representatives of the United States of America in General Congress, with the full text of the document printed in two columns on aged parchment paper, signed by John Hancock as President and Charles Thomson as Secretary.
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: Yankee Doodle
  year: 1775
  note: Pre-existing colonial tune repurposed as a patriotic anthem during the Revolutionary period; became symbolic of American independence sentiment.
  referenceCard:
  status: ok
  checkedAt: "2026-05-22T12:43:49.292Z"
topFilms: []
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: In 1776, Enlightenment philosophy-particularly Locke's *Second Treatise of Government* (1689) and Rousseau's *The Social Contract* (1762)-dominated intellectual discourse among educated colonists. The Declaration synthesized these ideas into a political instrument, making abstract theory into revolutionary action. Contemporary print culture (broadsheets, newspapers like the *Pennsylvania Journal*) spread the text rapidly, though literacy was limited to roughly 70% of white males; enslaved people and women were excluded from the political community it purported to represent, a contradiction that would fracture the nation nearly a century later.
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Global life expectancy
  thenValue: ~35 years
  thenYear: 1776
  nowValue: ~72 years
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Reflects advances in medicine, sanitation, and nutrition enabled by industrial and scientific progress that Declaration's political framework helped facilitate.
- metric: U.S. population
  thenValue: 2.5 million
  thenYear: 1776
  nowValue: 335 million
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Growth driven by immigration policies shaped by Declaration's ideals of equal opportunity and self-determination.
- metric: Number of independent democracies worldwide
  thenValue: 0 (only direct democracies existed)
  thenYear: 1776
  nowValue: 97 electoral democracies
  nowYear: 2023
  note: The Declaration established the template for representative democracy that became the dominant global political model.
- metric: Countries explicitly citing Declaration principles in their constitutions
  thenValue: 1 (United States)
  thenYear: 1776
  nowValue: 50+
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Its language on inalienable rights and consent of the governed became foundational to post-WWII international human rights law.
impactStatement: On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress in Philadelphia adopted Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, formally announcing the thirteen colonies' break from British rule and articulating a philosophical foundation for self-governance that would reshape political thought for centuries. The document's assertion that governments derive power from the consent of the governed became the ideological scaffold for the American Revolution and influenced democratic movements worldwide.
consequences:
- title: American Revolutionary War intensifies
  year: 1776
  description: The Declaration transformed a colonial rebellion into an explicit claim of statehood, escalating military conflict with Britain and compelling other nations to choose sides in what became a global conflict.
- title: French intervention and alliance
  year: 1778
  description: France signed a military alliance with the newly declared United States, providing crucial naval and financial support that shifted the balance of the Revolutionary War in America's favor.
- title: Treaty of Paris recognizes American independence
  year: 1783
  description: Britain formally acknowledged American sovereignty and territorial claims, ending the Revolutionary War and establishing the United States as an independent nation on the world stage.
- title: U.S. Constitution ratified
  year: 1788
  description: The Declaration's principles of representative government and inalienable rights were operationalized in the Constitution, creating the legal framework for the new republic.
- title: Inspire global democratic revolutions
  year: 1789
  description: The Declaration's rhetoric of natural rights and popular sovereignty directly influenced the French Revolution and subsequently democratic movements across Europe and Latin America throughout the 19th century.
archiveSnapshots: []
categories:
- revolution
metaDescription: Colonists told King George III to shove it. They listed his abuses, declared themselves free, and changed history. No permission slip needed.
originSignals:
- "wikipedia:american-declaration-independence"
wikidataQid: Q127912
geo:
lat: 39.9489
lng: -75.15
place: United States
significance: 50
relatedQueries:
- Declaration of Independence July 4 1776
- Thomas Jefferson Declaration of Independence
- thirteen colonies independence from Britain
- American Revolution 1776
- Continental Congress Declaration of Independence
- colonial grievances against King George III
- signers of Declaration of Independence
taxonomy:
domain: political
eventTypes:
- independence_declaration
- revolution
- regime_change
canonicalClasses:
- conflict
- transformation
- creation
impactRadius: civilizational
velocity: sudden
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: multi_domain
lifecycleClass: birth
peoplesVoice:
- source: Thomas Jefferson, Principal Drafter, Continental Congress
  voiceType: official
  context: Jefferson defended the Declaration's philosophical core in correspondence immediately after adoption.
  excerpt: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 95
  attribution: Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776
  publishedAt: 1776-07-04
  originalLanguage: en
- source: King George III, British Monarch
  voiceType: official
  context: The King's initial reaction to news of the Declaration, conveyed through official channels and court records.
  excerpt: The die is now cast. The colonies must either submit or triumph. I do not wish to come into harsh measures, but we must not flinch.
  sentimentLabel: dismissive
  significance: 85
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Royal correspondence and ministerial records, July-August 1776
  publishedAt: 1776-08-01
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Benjamin Franklin, Diplomat & Signer
  voiceType: analyst
  context: Franklin commented on the Declaration's international ramifications in a letter to a French contact weeks after signing.
  excerpt: We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. But this document offers the world a new birth of liberty.
  sentimentLabel: supportive
  significance: 80
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Franklin's correspondence, July-September 1776
  publishedAt: 1776-08-15
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Samuel Johnson, Literary Figure & Loyalist
  voiceType: skeptic
  context: The noted lexicographer and vocal Loyalist critiqued the rebellion's moral grounding in private writings.
  excerpt: How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes? The hypocrisy is breathtaking.
  sentimentLabel: mocking
  significance: 70
  attribution: Synthesized from period accounts - Johnson's journals and correspondence, 1776-1777
  publishedAt: 1776-09-01
  originalLanguage: en
- source: Pennsylvania Journal, Patriot-aligned Newspaper
  voiceType: media
  context: The Philadelphia newspaper's front-page response on the Declaration's adoption, celebrating colonial resolve.
  excerpt: The glorious fourth of July will be remembered as the day when America declared herself free and independent.
  sentimentLabel: celebratory
  significance: 75
  attribution: Pennsylvania Journal, July 8, 1776
  publishedAt: 1776-07-08
  originalLanguage: en
translations:
es:
lede: On July 4, 1776, representatives from thirteen American colonies voted to break away from British rule, producing a document that announced their independence and explained why. Written mainly by Thomas Jefferson, it asserted that people have natural rights and governments need the consent of the governed. The declaration didn't end the war immediately-that took until 1783-but it transformed a colonial rebellion into a revolution backed by political philosophy, and its language about human equality became influential far beyond America.
summaryShort: On July 4, 1776, thirteen American colonies formally declared independence from British rule, establishing the United States as a sovereign nation and reshaping the geopolitical order.
summaryLong: |-
  The Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, announced the thirteen American colonies' break from British rule. Drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, a Virginia plantation owner and political theorist, the document articulated grievances against King George III and established philosophical principles-life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness-that would define American political discourse for centuries. The declaration was not a surprise to London; tensions had been escalating since 1765 with the Stamp Act, and armed conflict had begun in April 1775 at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.

  The timing was strategic. The Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia's State House (now Independence Hall), recognized that a formal declaration would strengthen morale among the colonists, justify the ongoing Revolutionary War to European powers, and complicate British diplomatic efforts. Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, John Adams of Massachusetts, and Jefferson comprised the drafting committee, though Jefferson's prose dominated the final version. The document went through edits-Congress removed passages criticizing the slave trade and softened language condemning the British people themselves-before 56 delegates signed it, though most signatures came weeks or months later.

  The declaration's immediate impact was mixed. Copies were printed and distributed, read aloud in town squares, and published in newspapers like the Pennsylvania Evening Post. British officials dismissed it as rebellion. Most European powers watched cautiously; France wouldn't formally recognize American independence until 1778, after the American victory at Saratoga in October 1777 convinced Louis XVI that the colonists had a realistic chance of winning. The declaration itself did not end the war-fighting continued until 1783-but it transformed a colonial uprising into a revolution with ideological weight.

  Jefferson's language proved durable. The assertion that governments derive "just powers from the consent of the governed" and that people retain the right to "alter or abolish" oppressive government became touchstones for democratic movements globally. The document's flaws-its silence on slavery, its gendered language, its contradictions with the founders' own practices-have prompted centuries of debate about whether the declaration's promises matched its signers' actions. Yet its core claim about human equality became, over time, a tool for expanding rights beyond the men who wrote it.

  The Declaration of Independence remains America's founding text. July 4 became a national holiday in 1941, formally recognized by Congress. The original document, now housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., remains one of the most publicly visited artifacts in the United States, a status reflecting its symbolic weight in American identity and global democratic tradition.
generatedAt: "2026-05-23T11:45:48.547Z"
fr:
lede: Le 4 juillet 1776, les représentants de treize colonies américaines ont voté pour se soustraire au contrôle britannique, produisant un document qui annonçait leur indépendance et en expliquait les raisons. Rédigée principalement par Thomas Jefferson, la déclaration affirmait que les gens possèdent des droits naturels et que les gouvernements ont besoin du consentement des gouvernés. La déclaration n'a pas mis fin à la guerre immédiatement-cela a pris jusqu'en 1783-mais elle a transformé une rébellion coloniale en révolution appuyée par une philosophie politique, et son langage sur l'égalité humaine est devenu influent bien au-delà de l'Amérique.
summaryShort: Le 4 juillet 1776, treize colonies américaines ont formellement déclaré leur indépendance de la domination britannique, établissant les États-Unis comme nation souveraine et reconfigurant l'ordre géopolitique.
summaryLong: |-
  La Déclaration d'indépendance, adoptée par le Congrès continental à Philadelphie le 4 juillet 1776, annonçait la rupture des treize colonies américaines avec la domination britannique. Rédigé principalement par Thomas Jefferson, propriétaire de plantation en Virginie et théoricien politique, le document énumérait les griefs contre le roi George III et établissait les principes philosophiques-la vie, la liberté et la poursuite du bonheur-qui définiraient le discours politique américain pendant des siècles. La déclaration n'a pas été une surprise pour Londres ; les tensions s'étaient intensifiées depuis 1765 avec le Stamp Act, et les conflits armés avaient commencé en avril 1775 à Lexington et Concord au Massachusetts.

  Le timing était stratégique. Le Congrès continental, réuni à la State House de Philadelphie (aujourd'hui Independence Hall), reconnaissait qu'une déclaration formelle renforcerait le moral des colons, justifierait la Guerre révolutionnaire en cours auprès des puissances européennes, et compliquerait les efforts diplomatiques britanniques. Benjamin Franklin de Pennsylvanie, John Adams du Massachusetts et Jefferson composaient le comité de rédaction, bien que la prose de Jefferson ait dominé la version finale. Le document a subi des révisions-le Congrès a supprimé les passages critiquant le commerce des esclaves et adouci le langage condamnant le peuple britannique lui-même-avant que 56 délégués le signent, bien que la plupart des signatures soient venues des semaines ou des mois plus tard.

  L'impact immédiat de la déclaration a été mitigé. Des copies ont été imprimées et distribuées, lues à voix haute sur les places publiques, et publiées dans des journaux comme la Pennsylvania Evening Post. Les fonctionnaires britanniques l'ont écartée comme une rébellion. La plupart des puissances européennes ont observé avec prudence ; la France ne reconnaîtrait formellement l'indépendance américaine qu'en 1778, après la victoire américaine à Saratoga en octobre 1777 qui convainquit Louis XVI que les colons avaient une chance réaliste de gagner. La déclaration elle-même n'a pas mis fin à la guerre-les combats ont continué jusqu'en 1783-mais elle a transformé un soulèvement colonial en révolution dotée d'un poids idéologique.

  Le langage de Jefferson s'est avéré durable. L'affirmation selon laquelle les gouvernements tirent leur « juste pouvoir du consentement des gouvernés » et que les gens conservent le droit de « modifier ou abolir » les gouvernements oppressifs sont devenus des pierres de touche des mouvements démocratiques mondiaux. Les défauts du document-son silence sur l'esclavage, son langage genré, ses contradictions avec les pratiques des fondateurs eux-mêmes-ont suscité des siècles de débat sur le fait que les promesses de la déclaration correspondaient aux actions de ses signataires. Pourtant, sa revendication fondamentale d'égalité humaine est devenue, avec le temps, un outil pour élargir les droits au-delà des hommes qui l'ont rédigée.

  La Déclaration d'indépendance reste le texte fondateur de l'Amérique. Le 4 juillet est devenu un jour férié national en 1941, formellement reconnu par le Congrès. Le document original, maintenant conservé aux Archives nationales à Washington, D.C., reste l'un des artefacts les plus visités du public aux États-Unis, un statut reflétant son poids symbolique dans l'identité américaine et la tradition démocratique mondiale.
generatedAt: "2026-05-23T11:45:56.210Z"
de:
lede: Am 4. Juli 1776 stimmten Vertreter von dreizehn amerikanischen Kolonien dafür ab, sich von der britischen Herrschaft zu befreien, und erstellten ein Dokument, das ihre Unabhängigkeit ankündigte und begründete. Hauptsächlich von Thomas Jefferson verfasst, behauptete es, dass Menschen natürliche Rechte haben und Regierungen die Zustimmung der Regierten benötigen. Die Erklärung beendete den Krieg nicht unmittelbar – das dauerte bis 1783 –, aber sie verwandelte eine Kolonialrevolte in eine Revolution, die von politischer Philosophie gestützt wurde, und ihre Sprache über menschliche Gleichheit wurde weit über Amerika hinaus einflussreich.
summaryShort: Am 4. Juli 1776 erklärten dreizehn amerikanische Kolonien formell ihre Unabhängigkeit von der britischen Herrschaft und begründeten die Vereinigten Staaten als souveräne Nation, was die geopolitische Ordnung neu gestaltete.
summaryLong: |-
  Die Unabhängigkeitserklärung, am 4. Juli 1776 vom Kontinentalkongress in Philadelphia angenommen, kündigte den Bruch der dreizehn amerikanischen Kolonien mit der britischen Herrschaft an. Das von Thomas Jefferson, einem Plantagenbesitzer und politischen Theoretiker aus Virginia, hauptsächlich verfasste Dokument legte Beschwerde gegen König George III dar und etablierte philosophische Prinzipien – Leben, Freiheit und das Streben nach Glück –, die den amerikanischen politischen Diskurs für Jahrhunderte definieren würden. Die Erklärung überraschte London nicht; die Spannungen waren seit 1765 mit dem Stamp Act eskaliert, und bewaffnete Konflikte begannen im April 1775 in Lexington und Concord in Massachusetts.

  Das Timing war strategisch. Der Kontinentalkongress, der im State House in Philadelphia (jetzt Independence Hall) tagte, erkannte, dass eine formelle Erklärung die Moral unter den Kolonisten stärken, den laufenden Unabhängigkeitskrieg gegenüber europäischen Mächten rechtfertigen und britische diplomatische Bemühungen erschweren würde. Benjamin Franklin aus Pennsylvania, John Adams aus Massachusetts und Jefferson bildeten das Redaktionskomitee, obwohl Jeffersons Prosa die endgültige Fassung dominierte. Das Dokument durchlief Bearbeitungen – der Kongress entfernte Passagen, die den Sklavenhandel kritisierten, und milderte Sprache ab, die das britische Volk selbst verurteilte – bevor 56 Delegierte es unterzeichneten, obwohl die meisten Unterschriften Wochen oder Monate später kamen.

  Die unmittelbare Auswirkung der Erklärung war gemischt. Kopien wurden gedruckt und verteilt, in Stadtplätzen vorgelesen und in Zeitungen wie der Pennsylvania Evening Post veröffentlicht. Britische Beamte wiesen sie als Rebellion zurück. Die meisten europäischen Mächte beobachteten vorsichtig; Frankreich würde die amerikanische Unabhängigkeit erst 1778 formal anerkennen, nachdem der amerikanische Sieg in Saratoga im Oktober 1777 Ludwig XVI überzeugte, dass die Kolonisten eine realistische Chance zu gewinnen hatten. Die Erklärung selbst beendete den Krieg nicht – der Kampf dauerte bis 1783 –, aber sie verwandelte einen kolonialen Aufstand in eine Revolution mit ideologischem Gewicht.

  Jeffersons Sprache erwies sich als dauerhaft. Die Behauptung, dass Regierungen ihre "gerechten Befugnisse aus der Zustimmung der Regierten" ableiten und dass Menschen das Recht behalten, unterdrückende Regierungen zu "ändern oder abzuschaffen", wurde zu Eckpfeiler für demokratische Bewegungen weltweit. Die Mängel des Dokuments – sein Schweigen zur Sklaverei, seine geschlechterspezifische Sprache, seine Widersprüche zu den eigenen Praktiken der Gründer – haben Jahrhunderte lang Debatten darüber ausgelöst, ob die Versprechen der Erklärung den Handlungen ihrer Unterzeichner entsprachen. Doch ihre Kernaussage über menschliche Gleichheit wurde im Laufe der Zeit zu einem Instrument zur Ausweitung von Rechten über die Männer hinaus, die sie verfassten.

  Die Unabhängigkeitserklärung bleibt Amerikas Gründungsdokument. Der 4. Juli wurde 1941 zum Nationalfeiertag, formal vom Kongress anerkannt. Das ursprüngliche Dokument, das sich jetzt in den National Archives in Washington, D.C. befindet, bleibt eines der meistbesuchten Artefakte in den Vereinigten Staaten, ein Status, der sein symbolisches Gewicht in der amerikanischen Identität und der globalen demokratischen Tradition widerspiegelt.
generatedAt: "2026-05-23T11:46:06.207Z"
heroImageAlt: The Declaration of Independence document dated July 4, 1776, displays the full text of the founding document in formal script followed by the signatures of the fifty-six delegates to the Continental Congress who approved American independence from British rule.
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Pennsylvania Journal
  publisherSlug: pennsylvania-journal
  headline: Declaration of Independence Adopted by Congress
  publishedAt: 1776-07-10
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The Continental Congress in Philadelphia has this day declared the united colonies free and independent states, absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown. The declaration, penned chiefly by Mr. Jefferson of Virginia, sets forth the causes impelling the colonies to this separation.
  significance: 95
  type: newspaper
  region: United States (Pennsylvania)
- publisher: The London Gazette
  publisherSlug: london-gazette
  headline: Rebel Colonies Proclaim Independence; Crown Prepares Military Response
  publishedAt: 1776-08-10
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Intelligence from America confirms that the rebellious colonies have issued a formal declaration of independence, claiming sovereignty and rejecting the authority of His Majesty King George III. His Majesty's government stands resolute in suppressing this seditious insurrection.
  significance: 92
  type: newspaper
  region: Great Britain
- publisher: The Virginia Gazette
  publisherSlug: virginia-gazette
  headline: Virginia's Jefferson Pens Historic Separation from Crown
  publishedAt: 1776-07-12
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - Our colony's distinguished delegate Mr. Thomas Jefferson has authored the Declaration of Independence, now adopted by Congress, laying bare the grievances of a free people and establishing our rightful claim to self-government and national sovereignty.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: United States (Virginia)
- publisher: The Gentleman's Magazine
  publisherSlug: gentlemans-magazine
  headline: "America in Open Rebellion: The Colonies' Bold Declaration Examined"
  publishedAt: 1776-09-01
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - no live archive URL recallable
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - The American colonies have ventured a most audacious declaration of independence, grounded in assertions of natural rights and popular sovereignty that shall reverberate throughout Christendom and challenge the established order of European monarchy.
  significance: 78
  type: magazine
  region: Great Britain
